Brassieres



July 14, 1964 M. GINGRAS 7 3,140,717

BRASSIERES Filed Jan. 1'7, 1961 F23 \22 INVENTOR MARCH 6/N6RA5 United States Patent 3,140,717 BRASSIERES Marcel Gingras, Quebec, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Dominion Corset Company Limited, Quebec, Quebec, Canada Filed Jan. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 833% 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-503) This invention relates to brassieres and is particularly concerned with the construction of the back section of brassieres.

Brassiere back sections are usually formed of two back closure members secured to the outer edges of the front section and fastened together at the back. The fastening at the back extends over a narrow Width, so that the pull exerted by the back closure members tends to be confined to a narrow horizontal zone instead of over the entire surface of the back closure members.

The limited support area resulting from the above described arrangement digs uncomfortably into the flesh and also causes the back closure members to ride up. The main disadvantage however, is that the underarm portions have a tendency to gape because the tension is not regularly distributed over the width of the back closure members.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome the above stated disadvantages. In accordance with the invention the back section is formed of two back closure members which are disposed in crossed-over relation with the end of each member fastened to an intermediate portion of the other member. The upper edges of the back closure members taper downwardly and rearwardly and the ends are fastened adjacent the bottom edges; each back closure member, furthermore, is diagonally stretchable generally along a downwardly and rearwardly directron.

The arrangement is such as to provide parallel lines of tension directed downwardly and rearwardly on each back closure member from the top edge, so as to prevent gaping and to provide a fiat support to keep the brassiere from riding up.

The invention is applicable both to front closing and back closing brassieres. In the front closing type the back closure members are fastened together in crossed over relation by stitching the ends and preferably also the lapping bottom edge portions. In the above mentioned back closing type of brassiere each back closure member is in crossed over relation and has its end hooked to an intermediate portion of the other member.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a back view of a back-closing brassiere according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing in detail one of the back closure members.

FIG. 3 is a back view of a front-closing brassiere embodying the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the brassiere has a front section including breast cups and a band 11 and a back section which comprises a pair of back closure panel members 12 and 13 fastened at to the outer edges of the cups. Straps 14 are attached at 14' to the apices of the cups and at 14" to the back closure members.

As best shown in FIG. 2 each back closure panel member 12 and 13 has a generally horizontal bottom edge 16 and a top edge 17 which tapers downwardly and rearwardly first at a slight angle and then at a slightly increased angle. Each member terminates in an end 19 which is substantially smaller than edge 15 and which is fastened to an intermediate portion of the other back closure member so as to be adjacent the bottom edge 16, as shown in FIG. 1. The fastening is effected by any suitable means such as hooks 2t engaging eyelets 21. Each panel member 12 and 13 is made of a material which is stretchable along its downwardly and rearwardly directed diagonal as indicated by arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2. The direction of stretch of the panels 12 and 13 is at an angle to their horizontally disposed bottom edge 16 and in a direction opposite to each other when the panels are overlapped and in hooked engagement with each other.

Preferably the outer top edge of each cup 10 has an elastic insert strip 18 stretchable in the direction of stretch of the adjacent panel members 12 and 13.

FIG. 3 shows a modified embodiment in which the complementary hooking means 2t, 21 are replaced by stitching lines 22 and a closure means is located at the front at 2.3. The lapping bottom edge portions 16 of the back closure members may also be stitched together. The construction is otherwise identical to that of FIGS. 1 and 2, and the same reference numerals are used to denote corresponding parts of the embodiment of FIG. 3.

The advantages of the invention are released by providing parallel lines of pull downwardly and rearwardly from the top edges 17 to the bottom edges 16 and to the ends 19. These lines cooperate with the elastic strip 18 to prevent gaping along the underarm portion extending between terminals 14' and 14" of the straps 14, and to make the whole back section lie flat against the body preventing it from riding up. It will be noted that the parallel lines of pull have a substantial degree of independence, because the back closure members are not connected at the center but at a position more in line with the shoulder straps 14. This results in added comfort and greater freedom of movement.

What I claim is:

1. A brassiere having a pair of front breast cup sections and a pair of back closure panel members each secured at one end to the outer edge of an adjacent one of said front breast cup sections, the said back closure members being disposed in crossed overlapping relation with each other, the overlapping portion of each of said panel members being fastened to an intermediate portion lengthwise of the other of said panel members, the said panel members having their lower edges disposed horizontally and their upper edges disposed at an angle to the horizontal from a maximum height adjacent the said cup sections and stretchable exclusively along lines parallel with their angled upper edges and in directions opposite to each other when the panels are in overlapped engagement with each other.

2. A brassiere having a pair of front breast cup sections and a pair of back closure panel members each secured at one end to the outer edge of an adjacent one of said front breast cup sections, the said back closure members being disposed in crossed overlapping relation with each other, the said panel members having their lower edges disposed horizontally and their upper edges dis- 3 a posed at an angle to the horizontal from a maximum upper edge adjacent to and aligned with the upper edge height adjacent the said cup sections and stretchable eX- of said panel members and stretchable in the direction clusively along lines parallel With their angled upper edges of stretch of the panel members. and in directions opposite to each other when the panels are overlapped with each other, the overlapping portions 5 References Cited in the file Of this Patent of each of the said panels being stitched to an intermedi- UNITED STATES PATENTS ate portion lengthwise of the other of said panel members, and fastening means engaging the opposing edges of 1775365 Jones Sept 1930 said front breast cup sections 1963373 Nelson June 1934 2,866,462 Faron Dec. 30, 1958 3. A brassiere according to claim 1 in which the said 10 2 887 113 front breast cup sections have an elastic insert at their Gmgras May 1959 

1. A BRASSIER HAVING A PAIR OF FRONT BREAST CUP SECTIONS AND A PAIR OF BACK CLOSURE PANEL MEMBERS EACH SECURED AT ONE END TO THE OUTER EDGE OF AN ADJACENT ONE OF SAID FRONT BREAST CUP SECTIONS, THE SAID BACK CLOSURE MEMBERS BEING DISPOSED IN CROSSED OVERLAPPING RELATION WITH EACH OTHER, THE OVERLAPPING PORTION OF EACH OF SAID PANEL MEMBERS BEING FASTENED TO AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION LENGTHWISE OF THE OTHER OF SAID PANEL MEMBERS, THE SAID PANEL MEMBERS HAVING THEIR LOWER EDGES DISPOSED HORIZONTALLY AND THEIR UPPER EDGES DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE TO THE HORIZONTAL FROM A MAXIMUM HEIGHT ADJACENT THE SAID CUP SECTIONS AND STRETCHABLE EXCLUSIVELY ALONG LINES PARALLEL WITH THEIR ANGLED UPPER EDGES AND IN DIRECTIONS OPPOSITE TO EACH OTHER WHEN THE PANELS ARE IN OVERLAPPED ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER. 